Rule Change

[OrygunBison]

Football is general is in big trouble over the next few years. Studies are finding more and more head injury data at ALL levels. Prominent players are coming forward every day with new horror stories, Kickoffs are violent and almost every returning kickoff in an NFL game results in somebody being helped off the field (while we are away at commercial). Asking 225lb top athletes to run full speed 40-50 yards and crash into each other is currently in the radar of common sense medicine. The NFL is being given a small window to clean this up or a couple large legal firms, backed by former NFL stars and members of their families are going to. I love football and it may be the only sport I watch on tv, however, I give it about 20 years if there is no radical change.

The game HAS seen some fairly radical change in how the athlete trains and what their skills are on the other side. From that perspective, the game is much safer than it previously was. That progress is unfortunately largely swallowed up by the fact that everyone keeps getting bigger and faster.

Personally, and as a youth coach, I would not be disappointed at all to see no kickoffs in the future. As a dad who has a kid back there returning, I think about injuries all of the time. In 6 years returning kicks, he's only had one time that he got rocked and luckily I was tending to another kid at the time and didn't see it. Full acrobatics in the air, landing on his head and back. Freaked him out but no real injury.

[Mr Meaty]

[QUOTE=IndyBison;1277392]Most discussions have included an option for the "kicking" team to run one play on their side of the field with an opportunity to pick up a first down in 10 or 15 yards or punt the ball away. If the rule ever does eliminate the free kick I would expect to see something like that.

[/QUOTE]

So throw it deep and hope to get a PI called.

[IndyBison]

Most discussions have included an option for the "kicking" team to run one play on their side of the field with an opportunity to pick up a first down in 10 or 15 yards or punt the ball away. If the rule ever does eliminate the free kick I would expect to see something like that.

So throw it deep and hope to get a PI called.

You could. Or you could just try to pick up the 10 or 15 yards for a first down. PI would only be 15 yards in NCAA and I believe they considered that change for the NFL as well.

[EC8CH]

Has it been proven that more head injuries occur during kickoffs than other downs? I can see the reasons why it might, but I'm just wondering if it's been proven.

[TBone]

Indy guy is a ncaa mouthpiece. ridiculous. We are all impressed that you waste your time reffing to feel needed

[thundarsdaddy]

Has it been proven that more head injuries occur during kickoffs than other downs? I can see the reasons why it might, but I'm just wondering if it's been proven.

NFL exec's claim that 4 times as many concussions occur on kickoffs versus any other play, but they have never showed any stats to back that up.

[EC8CH]

NFL exec's claim that 4 times as many concussions occur on kickoffs versus any other play, but they have never showed any stats to back that up.

In a way it would be nice it they could identify that kickoffs are the majority of the problem with concussions so they could focus on that and leave the rest of the game alone. That's probably just wishful thinking though.

[OrygunBison]

In a way it would be nice it they could identify that kickoffs are the majority of the problem with concussions so they could focus on that and leave the rest of the game alone. That's probably just wishful thinking though.

Kickoffs and the forward pass. We don't need either, really.

[56BISON73]

Kickoffs and the forward pass. We don't need either, really.

May as well not play the game.

[OrygunBison]

May as well not play the game.

Did I really need the purple text, Wendell?